JP2007024060A - Pilot flow control valve device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pilot flow control valve device in which a main valve and a pilot valve are well prevented from being damaged when the main valve and the pilot valve are pressed against a main valve seat and a pilot valve seat when these valves are closed and a flow control function can be stably and well developed. <P>SOLUTION: This pilot flow control valve device 10 comprises the main valve 16, a back pressure chamber 24, an introduction small hole 26, a pilot water passage 28, the pilot valve 30, and a drive shaft 42. The flow of a main water passage is controlled by advancing and retreating the main valve 16 following the advancing and retreating motion of the pilot valve 30. The drive shaft 42 is so formed that it is passed through the main valve 16 from a secondary side outflow water passage 14 to drive the pilot valve 30. The drive shaft 42 is formed separately from the pilot valve 30. When the valves are closed, the end of the drive shaft 42 is separated from the pilot valve 30 so that it can be pulled in the retreating direction on the outflow water passage 14 side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow control device, and more particularly to a pilot-type flow control device that can be easily operated with a small operating force.

Various types of faucets have been used in the past, but these faucets require a large force to move the main valve that changes the opening of the main waterway in the approaching and retracting direction relative to the main valve seat. There was a problem that operation was heavy.
Therefore, as a means to lighten the operation of the faucet, this faucet is a pilot-type flow control device, that is, by moving the pilot valve forward and backward, the main valve is moved forward and backward to change the opening of the main water channel. It is conceivable to use a faucet with a built-in pilot-type flow control device.

For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses the configuration of this type of pilot type flow control device. FIG. 5 shows a specific example thereof.
In the figure, reference numerals 200 and 202 denote a primary inflow waterway and a secondary outflow waterway that form a main waterway, and 204 denotes a main valve composed of a diaphragm valve provided on the main waterway.
The main valve 204 moves back and forth in the approaching / separating direction with respect to the main valve seat 206 to change the opening of the main water channel, and adjusts the flow rate in the main water channel according to the opening.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a back pressure chamber formed behind the main valve 204. The back pressure chamber 208 applies an internal pressure to the main valve 204 as a pressing force in the valve closing direction.
The main valve 204 is provided with an introduction small hole 210 that passes through the main valve 204 and allows the inflow water channel 200 and the back pressure chamber 208 to communicate with each other.
The introduction small hole 210 leads the water from the inflow water channel 200 to the back pressure chamber 208 and increases the pressure of the back pressure chamber 208.
The main valve 204 is also provided with a pilot water channel 212 as a water drainage channel that passes through the main valve 204 and communicates the back pressure chamber 208 and the outflow water channel 202.
The pilot water channel 212 reduces the pressure in the back pressure chamber 208 by drawing water in the back pressure chamber 208 into the outflow water channel 202.

Reference numeral 214 denotes a pilot valve provided integrally with the drive shaft 216. The pilot valve 214 is in the vertical direction in the figure with respect to the pilot valve seat 218 provided on the main valve 204, that is, in the same direction as the forward and backward movement of the main valve 204. By moving forward and backward, the opening of the pilot water channel 212 (opening with respect to the back pressure chamber 208) is changed.
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 220 denotes an electric drive device that drives the pilot valve 214 to advance and retract together with the drive shaft 216.

In the pilot type flow regulating device shown in FIG. 5, when the pilot valve 214 moves forward toward the pilot valve seat 218, the gap between the pilot valve 214 and the pilot valve seat 218 becomes small, and the pilot water channel 212 The opening degree becomes small, the amount of water flowing from the back pressure chamber 208 to the outflow water channel 202 through the pilot water channel 212 decreases, and the pressure in the back pressure chamber 208 increases.
On the other hand, when the pilot valve 214 moves backward in the figure, the clearance between the pilot valve 214 and the pilot valve seat 218 increases, and the opening of the pilot water passage 212 increases, and here, the back pressure chamber 208 passes through the pilot water passage 212. The amount of water that flows into the outflow water channel 202 increases and the pressure in the back pressure chamber 208 decreases.
Then, the main valve 204 moves back and forth in the vertical direction in the figure following the forward and backward movement of the pilot valve 214 so as to balance the pressure of the back pressure chamber 208 and the pressure of the inflow water passage 200 to open the main water passage. Change the degree.
The flow rate of water from the inflow water channel 200 to the outflow water channel 202 is adjusted according to the change in the opening of the main water channel.

  In the pilot type flow regulating device shown in FIG. 5, the main valve 204 is moved forward and backward based on the increase / decrease of the pressure in the back pressure chamber 208, and the increase / decrease of the pressure in the back pressure chamber 208 is controlled by the pilot valve 214. Since the main valve 204 can be opened and closed with a small force because it is controlled by advancing and retracting movement, the flow rate can be adjusted with a light operation.

However, in the case of the pilot type flow regulating device shown in FIG. 5, when the drive shaft 216 is pushed downward in the drawing when the valve is closed, the pilot valve 214 is strongly pressed against the main valve 204, and the pilot valve 214 is Therefore, the main valve 204 is strongly pressed against the main valve seat 206, thereby damaging the main valve 204 and further damaging the pilot valve 214.
Furthermore, when the drive shaft 216 is tilted, the pilot valve 214 is also tilted integrally therewith, which may cause a problem that the flow rate adjustment function may be impaired or unstable. It was.

Patent Document 2 listed below discloses that the drive shaft penetrates the main valve from the side of the secondary effluent water passage to drive the pilot valve forward and backward, thereby adjusting the flow rate. ing.
The one disclosed in Patent Document 2 is to move the pilot valve forward in the valve closing direction by the retracting movement of the drive shaft in the backward direction, and when the drive shaft is excessively retracted at the time of valve closing, the pilot is The valve tends to be strongly pressed against the pilot valve seat and the main valve against the main valve seat. Therefore, even in the one disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is a problem that the main valve and the pilot valve are easily damaged.

Also in the one disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the drive shaft is in an inclined posture, the pilot valve also inclines with this, and there is a problem that the flow rate adjustment function is not performed well or is not stable. Arise.
This Patent Document 2 does not disclose any specific means for solving these problems.

JP-A-4-302790 JP 2003-278939 A

  The present invention is based on the above circumstances, and it is possible to satisfactorily prevent the main valve and the pilot valve from being damaged due to the main valve and the pilot valve being strongly pressed against the main valve seat and the pilot valve seat when the valve is closed. In addition, the present invention has been made for the purpose of providing a pilot-type flow control device that can perform the flow rate adjustment function stably and satisfactorily.

  Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, (a) a main valve that moves forward and backward in the main valve seat in a direction away from the main valve seat to change the opening of the main water channel, and (b) formed behind the main valve, A back pressure chamber that acts on the main valve as a pressing force in the valve closing direction; and (c) the back pressure chamber that guides the water in the primary inflow water channel in the main water channel to the back pressure chamber. An inlet small hole that increases the pressure of the back pressure chamber, and (d) the main valve is provided through the main valve so as to communicate with the back pressure chamber and the secondary outflow water channel in the main water channel. A pilot water passage that reduces the pressure in the back pressure chamber by removing the water from the outflow water passage, and (e) an opening and closing movement of the pilot water passage in an approaching and separating direction with respect to a pilot valve seat provided in the main valve. And (f) a drive shaft for driving the pilot valve, the main valve following the forward / backward movement of the pilot valve. In a pilot-type flow control device that adjusts the flow rate of the main water passage by moving forward and backward, the pilot shaft is driven from the secondary outflow water passage side through the through hole of the main valve. And the drive shaft is configured separately from the pilot valve so that the tip is brought into contact with the pilot valve, and the tip of the drive shaft is separated from the pilot valve when the valve is closed, and the outflow water channel It is possible to retract in the reverse direction of the side.

Effects and effects of the invention

  As described above, according to the present invention, the drive shaft penetrates the main valve from the side of the secondary outflow water channel to drive the pilot valve, and the drive shaft is configured separately from the pilot valve and has a tip. The front end of the drive shaft is separated from the pilot valve during the valve closing operation and can be retracted in the backward direction on the outflow water channel side. At that time, the drive shaft does not push the pilot valve against the main valve pilot seat and the main valve strongly against the main valve seat due to the backward movement of the drive shaft. Can be satisfactorily prevented from being damaged.

  The drive shaft is separate from the pilot valve and separable, and the tip of the drive shaft is brought into contact with the pilot valve. In this state, the pilot valve moves backward and forward as the drive shaft moves forward and backward. Therefore, even when the drive shaft may be tilted, it can be prevented that the pilot valve is forced to be tilted. The function can be performed stably and satisfactorily.

In the present invention, the pilot water channel can be formed between the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft inserted into the through hole of the main valve and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole.
Further, in the present invention, a return spring that urges the pilot valve in the forward direction, that is, in the valve closing direction can be provided. In this way, when the drive shaft moves backward, the return spring is based on the urging force of the return spring. Thus, the pilot valve that is separate from the drive shaft can be moved forward in a favorable manner.
The pilot valve can be constituted by a plunger.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, 10 is a pilot-type flow regulating device of the present embodiment, 12 and 14 are a primary inflow water channel and a secondary outflow water channel forming a main water channel, and 16 is provided on the main water channel. It is a main valve consisting of a diaphragm valve.

The main valve 16 includes a main valve body 18 and a rubber diaphragm film 20 held thereby.
The main valve 16 moves forward and backward in the approaching / separating direction with respect to the main valve seat 22 to change the opening of the main water channel.
Specifically, the main water passage is blocked by sitting on the main valve seat 22, and the main water passage is opened by separating from the main valve seat 22 upward in the figure.

Further, the opening degree of the main water channel is changed in accordance with the distance from the main valve seat 22 to adjust the flow rate of the water flowing through the main water channel.
A back pressure chamber case 23 is provided on the upper side of the main valve 16 in the drawing, that is, on the side opposite to the outflow water channel 14 with respect to the main valve 16, and the back behind the main valve 16 is located inside the back pressure chamber case 23. A pressure chamber 24 is formed.
The back pressure chamber 24 causes the internal pressure to act on the main valve 16 as a pressing force in the valve closing direction.

The main valve 16 is provided with an introduction small hole 26 that passes through the main valve 16 and allows the primary inflow water passage 12 and the back pressure chamber 24 to communicate with each other.
The introduction small hole 26 guides the water from the inflow water channel 12 to the back pressure chamber 24 and increases the pressure of the back pressure chamber 24.
The main valve 16 is also provided with a pilot water channel 28 as a water drainage channel that passes through the main valve 16 and communicates the back pressure chamber 24 and the secondary outlet water channel 14.
The pilot water channel 28 reduces the pressure in the back pressure chamber 24 by drawing water in the back pressure chamber 24 into the outflow water channel 14.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a pilot valve made of a plunger having a cylindrical shape, and a packing 32 made of an elastic material such as rubber is provided below the pilot valve.
The pilot valve 30 moves back and forth in the vertical direction in the drawing, that is, in the vertical direction (axial direction) in the drawing with respect to the pilot valve seat 34 provided in the main valve 16 to change the opening degree of the pilot water passage 28.
Specifically, the pilot water passage 28 is shut off when the pilot valve 30 is seated on the pilot valve seat 34, and the pilot water passage 28 is opened when the pilot valve 30 is separated from the pilot valve seat 34 in the axial direction upward in the figure. The
Furthermore, the opening degree of the pilot water passage 28 is changed in accordance with the amount of separation of the pilot valve 30 from the pilot valve seat 34.

  Reference numeral 35 denotes a pilot valve case having a bottomed cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 2, a male screw is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion on the open side. The pilot valve case 35 is assembled to the main valve 16 in a fixed state.

The pilot valve case 35 is inserted in a state in which the pilot valve 30 is slidably fitted, and the pilot valve 30 is held therein.
That is, the pilot valve 30 is assembled to the main valve 16 via the pilot valve case 35, and the pilot valve 30, the pilot valve case 35, and the main valve 16 constitute an integral main valve unit 17.

  Here, the pilot valve case 35 functions as an assembly member for assembling the pilot valve 30 to the main valve 16 and slides and guides the pilot valve 30 during the forward and backward movement of the pilot valve 30. On the other hand, it also serves as a pilot valve guide for smoothly moving forward and backward while maintaining a vertical posture.

The pilot valve case 35 is provided behind the main valve 16 on the side opposite to the outflow water passage 14 and in the back pressure chamber 24.
As shown in FIG. 2, the pilot valve case 35 is provided with a communication hole 36 in the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion for communicating the inside and the external back pressure chamber 24.
A return spring 38 made of a coil spring is provided between the bottom of the pilot valve case 35 and the pilot valve 30, and the return spring 38 attaches the pilot valve 30 downward in the drawing, that is, in the valve closing direction. It is energized.

The back pressure chamber case 23 is provided with a case guide 40 having a bottomed cylindrical shape, in which a pilot valve case 35 is slidably fitted in the vertical direction in the figure, that is, in the forward / backward direction of the main valve 16. Are combined.
The case guide 40 serves to guide the movement of the main valve 16 in the forward / backward direction while maintaining the main valve 16 in the horizontal position in the drawing, that is, preventing the inclination, through the pilot valve case 35.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 42 denotes a drive shaft, which is configured separately from the pilot valve 30 and separable from the pilot valve 30 in this embodiment.
The drive shaft 42 has a small-diameter portion (spindle portion) 44 at the upper portion in the figure, and the small-diameter portion 44 is shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 from the secondary effluent channel 14 side. It is inserted into a through hole 46 provided at the center of the main valve 16 toward the back pressure chamber 24 and is brought into contact with the pilot valve 30.
The small diameter portion 44 forms the pilot water channel 28 between its own outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 46.

  The drive shaft 42 is provided with a medium diameter portion 47 below the small diameter portion 44 in the drawing. An annular groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the medium diameter portion 47, and an O-ring 48 is mounted on the annular groove, and the drive shaft 42 and the body 50 are sealed in a watertight manner by the O-ring 48.

A circular and radial projecting portion 52 is provided on the lower side of the middle diameter portion 47 in the drawing. A male screw 54 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 52, and the male screw 54 is screwed into a female screw 56 formed on the body 50.
The drive shaft 42 is moved back and forth in the axial direction, that is, in the up-and-down direction in FIG. 1 by a screw feeding action by screwing of the male screw 54 and the female screw 56 by a rotation operation.
A large-diameter portion 58 is provided on the lower side of the protruding portion 52 in the drawing, and a handle (not shown) is assembled to the large-diameter portion 58 in an integrally rotated state.

In this embodiment, the drive shaft 42 is rotated in the forward direction in a state where the tip (upper end) of the small diameter portion 44 of the drive shaft 42 is spaced downward in the figure with respect to the pilot valve 30 in the closed state (FIG. 1). Then, the drive shaft 42 is moved forwardly upward in the figure by the screw feeding action by the male screw 54 and the female screw 56.
When the drive shaft 42, that is, the small-diameter portion 44 moves forward by a certain amount in the figure, the tip of the small-diameter portion 44 comes into contact with the pilot valve 30, and in this state, the drive shaft 42 further moves forward in the figure. As a result, the pilot valve 30 is retreated upward in the drawing to create a gap between the pilot valve 30 and the pilot valve seat 34 as shown in FIG.

Then, the water in the back pressure chamber 24 is drawn out to the outflow water channel 14 through the pilot water channel 28 through the gap, and the pressure in the back pressure chamber 24 decreases.
Here, when the pressure of the inflow water channel 12 overcomes the pressure of the back pressure chamber 24, the main valve 16 is lifted upward, that is, moved backward as shown in FIG. The main valve 16 stops at a position where the pressure in the chamber 24 and the pressure in the inflow water channel 12 are just balanced.
At this time, a gap is formed between the main valve 16 and the main valve seat 22, and water flows from the inflow water channel 12 to the outflow water channel 14 through the gap.

  When the pilot valve 30 is further moved backward in this figure as shown in FIG. 3 (III) from this state, the main valve 16 is made to balance the pressure of the back pressure chamber 24 and the pressure of the inflow water passage 12. Following the reverse movement of the pilot valve 30, the reverse movement is made upward in the figure, and the flow rate of water is increased by further increasing the opening in the main water channel.

On the other hand, when the drive shaft 42 is rotated in the reverse direction, the small-diameter portion 44 moves backward by a predetermined amount, and the pilot valve 30 moves forward downward in the drawing as shown in FIG. The clearance between the pilot valve 30 and the pilot valve seat 34 is reduced.
As a result, the pressure in the back pressure chamber 24 increases and overcomes the pressure in the inflow water channel 12, so that the main valve 16 balances the pressure downward as shown in FIG. 4 (II). The clearance between the main valve seat 22 and the main valve seat 22 is reduced. That is, the flow rate of water from the inflow water channel 12 to the outflow water channel 14 is decreased.

When the small-diameter portion 44 further moves backward from this state, the pilot valve 30 moves forward downward in the figure as shown in FIG. 4 (III), and the main valve 16 moves forward downward in the figure following this. And further reducing the water flow rate.
The pilot valve 30 is seated on a pilot valve seat 34 formed on the main valve 16, and the main valve 16 is seated on the main valve seat 22, whereby the inflow water passage 12 and the outflow water passage 14 are blocked. Thus, the flow of water from the inflow water channel 12 to the outflow water channel 14 stops here (state shown in FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the valve is completely closed between the pilot valve 30 and the main valve 16, more specifically between the pilot valve seat 34 (the state shown in FIG. 1). Always leave a gap between them except. Then, the main valve 16 moves forward and backward by changing the gap large or small, and adjusts the flow rate of water in the main water channel.

When the pilot valve 30 moves back and forth, the pilot valve case 35 guides the movement while maintaining a vertical posture with respect to the main valve 16, and when the pilot valve case 35 moves back and forth integrally with the main valve 16. The case guide 40 provided in the back pressure chamber case 23 guides the movement of the pilot valve case 35.
That is, the main valve 16 is maintained through the pilot valve case 35 in the horizontal posture shown in FIG.

If the fitting clearance between the pilot valve case 35 and the case guide 40 is made too small, the sliding resistance between them increases. Therefore, the fitting clearance is set to a certain extent so that the sliding resistance does not increase.
In this case, there is a fear that the main valve 16 is slightly inclined due to a certain increase in the fitting clearance.

  However, in this embodiment, even if the main valve 16 is slightly tilted within the range of the fitting clearance, the pilot valve 30 is always perpendicular to the main valve 16 due to the attitude maintaining action and guiding action of the pilot valve case 35. It can smoothly advance and retreat while maintaining the posture, and can move toward and away from the pilot valve seat 34 while maintaining a uniform gap with the pilot valve seat 34 over the entire circumference.

  According to the pilot flow regulating device 10 of the present embodiment as described above, the pilot valve 30 is moved to the pilot valve seat 34 of the main valve 16 and the main valve 16 is moved to the main valve 16 by the backward movement of the drive shaft 42 when the valve is closed. Therefore, the main valve 16 and the pilot valve 30 can be satisfactorily prevented from being damaged due to the pressing.

  Further, the drive shaft 42 is separated from the pilot valve 30 and can be separated, and the tip of the drive shaft 42 is brought into contact with the pilot valve 30, and in this state, the pilot valve is moved forward and backward. 30 is configured to move backward and forward, so that even when the drive shaft 42 is inclined, the pilot valve 30 is forced to be inclined. This can prevent the flow rate adjustment function stably and satisfactorily.

  In this embodiment, since the return spring 38 for returning the pilot valve 30 in the forward direction, that is, in the valve closing direction is provided, when the drive shaft 42 moves backward, the drive shaft 42 is based on the urging force of the return spring 38. The pilot valve 30 which is a separate body can be favorably moved forward.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example.
For example, in the present invention, the main valve can be configured by a piston, and in the above-described embodiment, the pilot valve is configured by a plunger. The present invention can be configured in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as configuring a valve and configuring a pilot valve seat in a form other than the above example.

It is sectional drawing which shows the pilot type flow regulating apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which decomposes | disassembles and shows the principal part of FIG. It is action explanatory drawing at the time of opening operation of the pilot type flow regulating device of the embodiment. It is action explanatory drawing at the time of closing operation of the pilot type flow regulating device of the embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the conventional pilot type flow control apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pilot type flow control apparatus 12 Inflow water channel 14 Outflow water channel 16 Main valve 22 Main valve seat 24 Back pressure chamber 26 Introduction small hole 28 Pilot water channel 30 Pilot valve 34 Pilot valve seat 42 Drive shaft

Claims (1)

(B) A main valve that moves forward and backward in the direction of approaching and separating from the main valve seat to change the opening of the main water channel
(B) a back pressure chamber formed behind the main valve and acting on the main valve as a pressing force in the valve closing direction;
(C) an introduction small hole for guiding the water in the primary inflow water channel in the main water channel to the back pressure chamber to increase the pressure in the back pressure chamber;
(D) The back pressure chamber is provided through the main valve so as to communicate with the secondary outflow water channel in the main water channel, and water in the back pressure chamber is drawn into the outflow water channel to Pilot waterways to reduce chamber pressure and
(E) a pilot valve that moves forward and backward in the approaching / separating direction with respect to a pilot valve seat provided in the main valve to change the opening of the pilot water channel;
(F) a pilot-type flow control device that includes a drive shaft that drives the pilot valve, and that adjusts the flow rate of the main water channel by moving the main valve forward and backward following the forward and backward movement of the pilot valve. The shaft is configured to drive the pilot valve from the side of the secondary effluent water channel through the through hole of the main valve, and the drive shaft is configured separately from the pilot valve so that the tip is the pilot valve. A pilot-type flow regulating device characterized in that it is brought into contact with the front end of the drive shaft from the pilot valve and can be retracted in the backward direction on the outflow water channel side during valve closing operation.

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